Editor’s Note: After Morocco, there are only a few stops before crossing to the Caribbean, so let’s get started with what Marti found along the way. (P.S.: the company has sent most of the marketing crew home to work, so no more videos for awhile, dang it! But Kit and I do take photos, so I’ll continue to illustrate Marti’s work with examples.) -rc
Three Canary Islands
October 27-29
Made up of seven islands, informally known as the “Canaries”, this bit of Spain is off the coast of Morocco. Politically, they belong to Spain, geographically a part of Africa.
The Canary Islands owe their formation to a series of volcanic eruptions and underlying hot spots, emitting masses that seemed to come straight out of hell. Volcanic activity with a large number of bubble grottoes and lava tubes continues as recently as 2021.
Our ship did not limit us moving between islands because it is so very easy. Each island has its own unique character. We visited…
Arrecife, Lanzarote. Being the closest island to the Sahara Desert, Lanzarote is the warmest and has the most spectacular black and red volcanic terrain. A multicultural city, Arrecife is the capital of Lanzarote.
As a city, it has the flavors of a cosmopolitan metropolis, but scaled down to feel more like a “tiny thriving port” or a “sleepy seaside town.” Arrecife, a fisherman’s town, means “Reef”. It’s nestled around a natural bay, the lagoon, where boats bob in the water all day.
Arrecife is easy to explore by foot. You can walk the entire city in a half day. The large area of the seafront is pedestrianized, as is the shopping area, harbor and marina front so, jog, bike, walk or jump on an eco friendly electric scooter and explore.
As you explore the shoreline, keep your eyes peeled, parrots are in the trees. You will hear them before you see them.
Las Palmas. Gran Canaria, one of the larger islands and is considered to be the greenest and the prettiest of all. With its breathtaking scenery, it is known as “The Beautiful Island”. Las Palmas is the capital, known for its impressive sand dunes and its old lighthouse (first shined in 1890).
Las Palmas Cathedral was the first church ever built in the Canaries. It was started in 1500 and completed four centuries later. It is considered the most important monument of Canaries architecture.
Take a Beach Walk (Las Palmas Promenade). It’s 6.2 miles long. You’ll discover a historic fortress, a market hall, and learn about important stages in history and interesting personalities. You can connect your smart phone to several self-guided tours and learn about the area in a fun way.
La Cantera Beach is a famous spot for snorkeling.
Santa Cruz. Tenerife is the largest Canary Island. The island is referred to as a microcontinent, boasting of an amazing number of micro climates. If you take the steep rise from sea level up to the top of Mount Teide, it basically divides the island into very distinctive regions, the north being cooler and the south more humid.
A highlight is to circumnavigate Mt. Teide. Hike or opt for a ride on the cable car.
There is something symbolic and mystic about this place. It feels like a friendly giant watching over one. It is the highest mountain in all of Spain. And it’s a conical volcano that last erupted in 1909. If time permits, visit the Siam Park, a theme park, Thai inspired. Float around on the mile-long lazy river.
Take the Tower of Power slide, an almost vertical drop that ends up going through a tank filled with sharks and other marine animals.
The islands have an surprisingly unique cuisine: Eating is pleasureful, delicious, light and exotic. Variety of tropical fruits, bananas, papayas, and mangos. Simple dishes such as “wrinkled potatoes”, baked fish, or roast kid, local cheese and wine. A hearty dish of chickpeas, veal, pork ribs, chicken, beans, carrots, zucchini, pumpkin, potatoes, and pears thrown into a pot and stewed for a couple of hours.
Seafood is plentiful. Most popular fish is combtooth blenny, or parrot fish, plus other options such as squid, octopus, sea bream all served with a cold glass of beer.
If you’re not keen on fish, there are plenty of tapas to choose from. A staple is finely grated cured cheese mixed with spicy red peppers, garlic and olive oil. Spread it on bread or eat it straight from the spoon.
These people prefer coffee sweet and strong with a healthy dose of liquor served with milk and topped with cinnamon and lemon.
A favorite dessert is a mousse of chocolate, butter, hazelnut, and almonds served cold on top of a crunchy cookie.
Their aim: Meals that make everyone happy. That’s exactly what our chef on the Odyssey does…Makes everyone happy. Thank you, Chef Panos.
As we leave The Canary Islands, we must remember how strongly associated these islands are, with an enchanting nature in all of its facets: volcanic origin, a combination of arid landscapes, leafy forests, sandy beaches, and a wealth of biodiversity. They’re noted for their clear nights to marvel at constellations.
Gazing at the night sky we sail away to enjoy three days at sea, heading to Dakar.
Interlude by Randy: Halloween
Sorry to intrude, but Marti didn’t write about one very important aspect of on-ship life: Halloween! I just have to slip something in!
The crew did wonderful decorations overnight on October 30th so we would wake up to find them scattered around the ship. By the morning of November 1, they were all gone.
And of course, there was a costume party. The most amusing aspect of that was three different couples dressed up as John and Melody Hennessee, a very colorful couple who have been constant targets of press photographers writing about the ship since they are so fun, colorful, and happy to play along.
The Hennessees loved it, and one of the couples won the award for Best Couples Costume.
Dakar, Senegal
November 2-3, 2024
Morning sunbeams peek through the clouds as our ship docks in Dakar. Senegal is known as “The Gateway to Africa”. French is the official language, but few speak or understand it. Very few speak or understand English.
Wolof, a Niger-Congo simple language with few grammar rules, is the mother tongue for 4.6 million people. Senegal is commonly called “Country of Sharing, Hospitality and Solidarity”. Despite ethnic and religious differences, they express a will to live together, placing a high value on relationships ahead of material things, and a desire to share their cultures and traditions.
Ninety-seven percent of the people identify as Muslim. Despite that, Senegal’s first president was Catholic.
The most popular sport is wrestling.
The cuisine of the Senegalese is rich, tasty, fragrant and eaten by hand. Fish plays a special role. The traditional dish “The Rice of Fish” is marinated fish with parsley, lemon, garlic, and onions, cooked with tomato paste and a variety of vegetables: lettuce, cabbage, carrots, green beans, cherry tomatoes, melon, and mango.
A typical breakfast is NesCafe with powdered milk, a baguette with either leftovers from the night before, or chocolate spread or Laughing Cow, a spreadable cheese. (Yes, NesCafe is the powdered instant coffee produced by Nestle.)
The national drink is Hibiscus Tea flavored with mint or ginger. Dakar, the largest seaport in Africa, is the cosmopolitan, multicultural capital of Senegal.
It is much more walkable than most big African capitals. Some visitors do find it challenging. Of the 167 countries in the Prosperity Index, it ranks 102. Streets are sandy and potholed.
Petty crimes, pick-pocketing, and bag-snatching by thieves on motorcycles do exist.
Buildings are in varying states of disrepair. Some homes lack fully functional indoor plumbing. People still cook over gas tanks. Lots of trash. People and cars share the streets and sidewalks with horses, sheep and laundry.
Let’s look at other side of Dakar.
Dakar has tons of beaches with world class waves, making it a surfer’s heaven. Independence Square is the center of Dakar, with a mix of architecture from colonial to brutalist style of the 1960s, using exposed unpainted concrete or rock with angular and geometric shapes.
A 15 minute walk from Independence Square you will find Marche Sandaga, the oldest and largest (the size of a football field) market in the city. Residents from various ethnic groups present assorted crafts, foods, jewelry, fabrics, wood and metal goods. Pharmacists sell herbal recipes. Local artists weave baskets and scarves while we watch.
A Must See: Goree Island. Visit the House of Slaves. For four hundred years this island was the largest slave trading center in Africa, run by Portuguese, Dutch, English and French. In the 18th century, its building was used as a holding center for kidnapped and enslaved Africans about to be sent across the ocean.
The original slave quarters are preserved with iron shackles and tiny cells where they were kept in the dark, so tightly packed there was hardly room to breathe — humanity’s cruelty in full force.
The Door of No Return: For thousands of people shipped across the Atlantic to a life in slavery, that door was the last glimpse of Africa, of their home, for the rest of their life. Reconciliation is the focus now.
Goree Island is a place of pilgrimage. To me, Goree is not an island. It is a continent of the spirit. The contrast between the slave quarters and the elegant homes of the slave traders is like a slap in the face. It is uncomfortable. A reminder of the worst side of us.
Goree is a picturesque place with narrow streets lined with brightly colored houses, galleries, and artists’ workshops. Goats roam the streets. Kids ride the waves. For contrast, once back in Dakar you can visit The African Renaissance Monument, a monument of freedom, portraying a family looking out to sea.
Bandea Reserve is a one and half hour drive from Dakar. Enjoy a pleasant time walking among all sorts of wildlife: rhinoceros, zebras, giraffes, monkeys, and more. A treasure trove.
As we sail out of Dakar for a day at sea, I will remember the motto of this area: “One People, One Goal, One Faith”.
Cabo Verde
November 4-6, 2024
This is my Life now. Surprised by it? Yes! Inspired by it? Absolutely!
After a Day at Sea (a do nothing day for me), We docked in Cape Verde (Cabo Verde) for two days, an archpelago of 10 islands off the coast of Senegal, a former Portuguese colony becoming independent in 1975.
Portuguese is the official language.
Cape Verde is considered a developing country (lower-middle income) with an incredible amount of diversity, full of historic monuments hidden in every corner.
The national dish is Cachupa, a combination of mashed maize (corn), onions, green bananas, manioc (a starch root), sweet potatoes, squash and yams.
Their breakfast is “Cuscuz”, a cake, made of flour, cinnamon, honey and sugar served warm with a bit of butter. Fruits: coconuts, mangoes, papaya, quince, and a huge variety of bananas.
It is noted for its superb beaches and great year around climate.
No two islands are the same, each offering different experiences and vibes.
PRAIA is the capital and the largest city, with many hills going up and down. Praia is built on a plateau. Plateau is also the name of the most central neighborhood and the oldest settlement (Old City). This is really a cool place to walk amongst the shops, cafes, restaurants, and little parks where locals hang out.
Locals engage in yoga or cardio pushups in these open spaces and invite you to join in. The Presidential Palace and the Portuguese colonial buildings built in the 1500s are worth exploring.
Plateau is where the museums are — tiny ones — documenting the history behind the West African revolution and independence. Sala-Museu Amilcar is Cabral centrally located, and easily spotted by the graffiti on the building.
The Ethnography/Archaeological Museum is about shipwrecks and their findings. A mural on display tells one much about these people. “The fight for liberation is not only an act of culture, but also a factor of culture.”
MINDELO (a favorite spot) is a buzzing, almost European city that hugs a tight curve of a seafront promenade beyond which rise jagged mountains straight out of the Atlantic. Spend all day dipping in and out of various cultural institutions, snacking in the best cafes on the national dish, Cachupa.
National Center for Art, Crafts and Design: Walking the streets of city center, you notice a big hall harmoniously composed of colorful steel drum heads. It represents the social, cultural, and symbolic context that the metallic barrels bring to the islands.
At the Mindelo Cultural Center you’ll find music rehearsals, theatre, yoga, choral singing, and visual arts while doors are open. You can showcase your own talent, thanks to the grand piano available for anyone.
As you stroll through the streets, admire the rich architecture packed with British and Portuguese influences.
The replica of Lisbon’s Torre de Belem, the Presidential Palace, and the building that holds the fish market, as well as the colorful houses that line the cobble streets are architectural landmarks not to be missed.
Mindelo offers rich cultural experiences, historical exploration, culinary delights and stunning natural beauty.
The city wears its history and heritage with pride, offering a tapestry of experiences that are as diverse and vibrant as the city itself.
Back on board the ship we were gifted with a creative artistic group of drummers and exotic dancers, performing a non-stop 30 minute show showcasing movement to the drum beat.
Now take some time to relax and unwind. What about a relaxing massage? Or participate in a yoga session to integrate all your good energies.
The ship’s engines are roaring, preparing for our departure. For the next seven days we will be sailing the Atlantic Ocean.
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These Ports of Call are great. I like the interlude, too.
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Thanks for the feedback, Jim. -rc
Sorry if this has been asked/answered before here. I get your Residential Cruising email and see it sometimes before the FB page. Do you derive anything from hitting the like button on FB or can I just scroll on by? No real problem if you would enjoy/prefer both. Thanks.
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It definitely helps to interact with the Facebook posts. Everything you do — reading, liking/etc., commenting — goes into the algorithm and helps FB decide whether to show it to others also. And fwiw, the email is automated and comes out when the email software detects a new post, almost always within an hour and often sooner. The posts on FB are made manually (by me), and may be a little before, or way after, the email. -rc
The more posts you interact with in any way, whether clicking a link, reacting, or commenting, the more posts Facebook will show you from that Page, AND the more it will decide the post is “valuable” and thus show it to others, too. If you scroll past without interacting in any way, Facebook notices that, too.
What an awesome way for us landlocked folks to enjoy and learn about different places and cultures. It’s the next best way to experience the diversity and multicultural ways of our planet.
If my social studies and geography classes were presented to us in this fashion, I would have paid more attention and displayed much more interest. And I’m sure most of my classmates would have agreed.
I’m looking forward to “our” next adventure!
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A cool way to look at it. Thanks, Cheryl! -rc
Thank you all for the geography and culture lessons! I love traveling along with the ship and truly appreciate the different perspectives. My bucket list is growing with each posting!
LOVE the Halloween costumes!
Love these posts! Love to read about people’s experiences!
I enjoy looking up the places on Google Maps to see where they are. It helps my geography, which is a little iffy in places!
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Heck, ours too! We’ve chosen a nice slow way to learn them better. -rc
These pieces aren’t QUITE as good as being there with you… but they’re very, very close!
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You don’t get the food, but then it’s probably less expensive than joining us. 🙂 -rc
Thanks for the few notes on Cape Verde. We are planning a 3 week trip there next spring. We will check out the Cultural Center in Mindalo. I would add that the country has had a continuous peaceful change of government since independence in 1975. This is a record no other African (sub-Sahara OR north of it) can boast! It has a high Democracy rating just below the USA and Israel.